Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

In the short time available to me, I want to call for the payments of an emergency winter energy credit of at least €500. Households, especially those with children, are under huge pressure from the cost-of-living crisis, which is pushing more and more families into poverty. There are already 630,000 people living below the poverty line and 190,000 of those are children. We have almost 17,000 homeless, with almost 5,500 of these being children. Yesterday, figures showed that the inflation rate here is now at 3.2% as against 2.1% in the eurozone, so we are 50% higher than the eurozone. This inflation is driven by higher energy prices and higher food prices. Food prices are up by 6% and food prices for family over the year are now costing over €3,000 more than they did a few years ago.

Our energy costs are among the highest in Europe. On top of that, the energy companies have announced increases recently: SSE Airtricity, a 9.5% increase, an extra €150; Bord Gáis Energy, a 13.5% increase, an extra €218; Pinergy, an increase of 9.8%, an extra €199; Energia, an increase of 12.1%, up €200; and Flogas Electricity up 7%, an increase of €126. We have over 300,000 households in arrears on their electricity bills, which is an increase of over 85,000 on the same period last year, and 176,000 households are in arrears on their gas bills, which is also an increase on last year.

People with disabilities are particularly badly hit by this cost-of-living crisis, having lost out on about €1,400 in the recent budget. The measure of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable. Thousands of families will face the coming Christmas with difficulty and it is very worrisome. The least we can do is ease that worry by at least the payment of an emergency bonus this Christmas.

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